The Wedding Competition
by Ashblood
Summary: Steve and Tony are getting married at the same time as Thor and Sif. There may be some competitiveness.


Steve loved Tony. Of this there could be no doubt. Friends and strangers alike could see it in every tender glance, in every exasperated groan and eye-roll, and in every sneaky brush of his hand against Tony's arm or chest when he thought that no one was looking.

Tony loved Steve. Of this there really could be no doubt. Friends, strangers, and the whole world could see it in the way that Tony would kiss Steve in front of reporters, on rooftops, in the middle of saving the world, any place where there were people watching. They could see it in the way he would buy anything that Steve happened to show an interest in, from paintings to that little restaurant they had once visited. And they could clearly see it in the way he had hung banners on the side of Avenger's Tower with messages such as: _Tony Loves Steve!_ And: _Tell Him To Say Yes!_ Also: _I Won't Take These Down Until You Say Yes!_

Of course, Steve had said yes straight away. Not just because of the burning embarrassment he felt - he was used to Tony's antics by then - but because of love. He loved Tony's charisma, spontaneity, and madness; he loved his genius, that his rough hands could fix anything – rough hands that felt so good when pressed to his own skin - and that his mind, so vast and deep, could imagine anything and then create it. He loved that Tony always tried to do the right thing and learned from his mistakes. Tony Stark was infuriating at times, but he was a good man and Steve cherished him.

And Tony had asked Steve to marry him because he was more in love with Steve than he had been anyone else before. Because Steve was not the sheep-like Boy-Scout some people took him for, mindlessly following orders if they were issued by a person in a position of authority; no, he was a rebel. Steve was a man to stick to his principles no matter how many laws he would break, no matter how much disapproval he would earn, no matter how much trouble it got him into. But in spite of this stubbornness Steve was still humble enough and open minded enough to change his mind if he felt he had been in the wrong. He artistic and loved to draw Tony. He was kind and just down-right decent. How could Tony not want to keep him for all time?

Together they brought out the best in each other and smoothed over the rough edges. They worked together to overcome any difficulties they faced; they supported one another in their endeavours and kindly criticised when they felt the other was wrong; they comforted and consoled one another when things went wrong; and would laughed when the time was right.

Simply, they went meant to be together.

However, no matter how much a couple love and adore one another, no matter how much they want to rip their clothes off every time they laid eyes upon each other, and no matter how many embarrassing poems and love songs they wrote, none of that can spare them from the obvious downside of being married.

The wedding.

Weddings could be lovely, sentimental, beautiful, joyful, fun, solemn, and dignified; and many people longed to enjoying the perfect wedding that will fulfil all their dreams of a happy ever after. But they also involve people. And where there are people there is also bound to be trouble. Trouble caused not by ill intent but by clashes of high emotion as all those hopes and joys, fears and anxieties, jealousies and insecurities come and melt together and boil over...

Thankfully, love is strong and can prevail over any pettiness. Love, kindness, trust, friendship, understanding, and forgiveness would win over all other things.

* * *

It had been five days since Tony had gone down on one knee, in his Iron Man suit and in front of the not-so subtle banners that flashed their declarations of love. Five days since Steve had accepted the proposal, first put on the silver ring, and had insisted on the banners being torn down. Five days for them to inform their friends that they were engaged and would at some point be deciding on a date for the big day.

Of course, most of their friends had not needed to be told because of those ridiculous banners, but they were told in person anyway. Others had been contacted through social media and in return had sent back their congratulations.

All their friends had done so except for Thor. The silence was a little disappointing not least because New Asgard had broadband (thanks to Tony), but because even Loki had sent a brief message of well-wishes. He wasn't even their friend. He wasn't even on the planet.

"He's still not invited," Tony had said.

Steve had chosen to remain silent. The message was disconcerting enough, but he also knew that if Loki really wanted to attend their wedding, for whatever perverse reason, then the trickster would find a way.

Nor did he chose to complain about the lack of response from Thor. He had come from a time where communication was slow when it was stretched across whole countries and all the land and oceans in between. Plus, he was sure that Thor was busily immersed in the task of trying to rebuild his people's lives.

Houses could be easily and quickly built (as indeed they had been), but what the Asgardians had lost couldn't easily be replaced. When they had fled Hela there had been no time to grab anything but the most essential items. Food and water was selected over books, medicine bags over family portraits. Blankets, weapons, and shields could aid survival, but musical instruments, statues, exotic plants, and pets could not. It was not just their world that had been destroyed, but their culture too. It lived on only in their minds.

Stories, history, songs, poems, family trees could all be written down again, but it would take time and there would be some gaps in the narratives and in their knowledge that the survivors would be unable to fill. They could try growing their own food, but it would never taste as good as the produce back on Asgard. They could grow flowers and trees, but nothing as beautiful as back home. The air would feel different on their faces, the rain would smell different, and the water would taste not as sweet. Everything on Earth would be familiar, but nothing would be the same.

New Asgard would look and feel a little like the place from where they had come from, but Steve knew that it would never feel like home. Thor had a hell of a task to try and make his people feel strong again, like they belonged on Earth. He didn't envy Thor one bit, so if the Thunderer was a little slow in replying his messages then he wasn't going to begrudge it, even if it had been five days.

Steve waited quietly at the breakfast table and when Tony had finally emerged from the shower (he was no morning person unless he had a project to work on) pulled him silently into his arms and kissed him for a long time.

"Good morning to you as well," Tony smirked. He could get used to this happening every day.

Steve held onto to him tightly, resting his chin on top of his head. Tony never really liked it when he did this because it made feel aware of his limited height, but he would graciously allow it if he sensed that Steve was upset about something, as he was now. He wrapped his own arms around Steve's waist and waited for an explanation.

"I just wanted to say that you make me feel at home," Steve murmured.

"Good. Because this your home. I keep telling you, you can have whatever you want."

"No, I mean that you make me feel like I belong here. I spent most of my life feeling like I didn't quite fit into the world, but now, here with you, I do."

He pulled back just enough so that he could stare into his lover's eyes. Blue met brown. Tony smiled back at him, feeling the same way about Steve.

They would have kissed again if it were not for the alarmingly loud crackling noise that suddenly erupted to the left of them.

A portal, about the size of a dinner plate, opened up at their eye level and before they could so much as say, "what the hell?!", a white raven with a golden ring attached to each leg and with a golden scroll hanging from its beak by a crimson ribbon, flew out of the portal at 50 mph and would have flown straight into Steve's head if were not for his incredible reflexes.

The soldier ducked, Tony stumbled backwards, and the raven screeched in fear as it shot over Steve and then the table and narrowly avoided smashing into the cupboards by pulling up sharply and turning about. If ravens were awarded medals for aerial acrobatics then the albino bird deserved one.

Loosing only a couple of feathers, it landed on the floor and skidded to a halt, but the scroll remained with it, undamaged. Quite an accomplishment. It released the ribbon to caw furiously at them.

"It's not our fault," Steve told it. "You shouldn't come out of a portal so fast."

Tony was more interested in the scroll than in the bird. He picked up. It felt smooth to the touch. He briefly examined the seal and then tossed it to Steve. It looked as though it could be long message.

"You read it," Tony instructed.

Smiling slightly, Steve broke the seal and spent a little time scanning the luxurious paper.

"It's from Thor," he said, unnecessarily. "He says hello and sends greetings from himself and all his ancestors to ours. Weather's rotten. Rainbow Bridge wobbling. Oh, here, he sends congratulations and is very happy for us. Our union will be fixed in the stars, whatever that means...Oh!"

Steve's eyes had widened and his eyebrows had moved up to his hairline. It wasn't often that he was shocked and Tony found it maddening that he couldn't tell if it was a good surprise or a bad surprise.

"What?" he demanded.

"Oh!" Steve repeated, eyes flicking back and forth over the curly writing.

"What?"

"Oh!"

"Steve, if you say oh one more time..."

"Oh - I mean sorry!" Steve looked up, eyes blinking rapidly. "I mean Thor's getting married!"

"What?!"

"Thor. Getting married."

"What?!"

"If you say what one more time..."

Tony almost said what, but then thought better of it. "Elaborate."

Steve studied the letter again.

"He's engaged to the Lady Sif, goddess of War."

Sif, really? Tony supposed it was a good match. He hadn't actually met her, but if she was part of the god-set then she must be a good match for the Thunder god.

"Do they have a date?" he asked, mildly. He had a feeling of foreboding, but didn't want to throw a tantrum in front of Steve.

"They're aiming for July, but nothing specific."

Nope, that did it. Tantrum time.

"But, we're want a July wedding!"

It was bad enough that Thor had chosen to be engaged at the same time as them, but now this? It was too much, too unfair.

"We can both have a July wedding, Tony. It's fine."

Tony watched as Steve filled a small bowl with water and placed it front of the raven, along with a slice of bread. He then sat down at the table, turning the scroll this way and that to admire how it caught the light.

He was being far too reasonable as usual, Tony thought hotly.

"No, no, it's not fine. This is a competition."

"How?" Steve exclaimed.

"See this time period we're living in, this is the aftermath to the greatest disaster every to befall the whole universe. Everything has changed. It will always be talked about, immortalised in stories and movies. We'll always be remembered and talked about. And I -"

"Wanted to be the first Avenger to be married in the aftermath." Steve lent his chin on his fist. "Is that the only reason you proposed to me?"

"No. I proposed when I did because I don't want to risk losing you. Ever. I can't live without you. Not one day. It's always been you, Steve Rogers, and always will be. And what I went through, the terror of nearly never seeing you again, was so great that there has to be some payback."

He was fighting back tears, he could feel them building. And he had to say what was in his heart because if he didn't then he would explode. Didn't matter if he looked selfish or spoilt – he was both those things and knew it. But, he was also hungry for Steve, Steve, and more Steve. After everything they had been through he just wanted one thing to go perfectly for them.

Steve was walking slowly towards him, concern filling up his eyes. Even the bird had paused in its guzzling to watch with its head tilted to one side.

He shrugged, smiling wobbly. "And so what if I want us to be the first married and remembered as that? Why not?"

"Alright," Steve said, softly. He pulled Tony into hug, stroking his hair. "We'll set the date for the start of July. We'll fix it today and send out Save The Date cards so that there can be no misunderstandings. But, that's it for the green-eyed monster, right? Thor's happy for us, so let's be happy for him. Besides, who wouldn't want to attend an Aesir wedding? And a royal one at that."

"I'm betting it will be a dry wedding."

Steve chuckled. "I wonder how long they've been engaged for? They were probably just as surprised as we were to find out that – where did that raven go?"

"Up there. On top of the cupboards. How do we did get it down?"

"Don't ask me. Got any bird seed on you?"

* * *

 _AN: Thanks for reading._

 _This is my first Stony fic. I hope it's okay!_


End file.
